


Somebody That I Used To Know

by thiswasamistake (orphan_account)



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst, Concerts, Friendship, Happy Ending, M/M, Miscommunication, Rockstar AU, Songfic? i guess kinda, Swearing, based on an animatic, i wanted to have jenna but i couldnt fit her in this sorry, maybe kinda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 21:10:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15649008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/thiswasamistake
Summary: “Who's playing anyway?” Jeremy asked.“Oh, let's just say that it'ssomebody that you used to know."---OR: Jeremy and Michael had a falling out, and their friends try to fix it.(Inspiration from an animatic made by goya on YouTube)





	Somebody That I Used To Know

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This fic was inspired by "Somebody That I Used To Know (ft. boyf riends)" by goya on YouTube.
> 
> Please watch the animatc, because 1) its amazing 2) it might give a bit more oompf to this fic
> 
> Other links to the ORIGINAL ARTIST of the animatic:  
> goya on Youtube  
> @chiggoya on tumblr

“C’mon Jere, it'll be _fun_!”

“Plus they've got an open bar.”

He scoffed. “It’s a _‘live-entertainment’_ pub.” He made air quotes. “You know their drinks will be shit, Chlo.”

The girl in question shrugged. “When it's paired up with Brooke and some good entertainment, it won't be that bad.”

Jeremy stared at the two girls in front of him. He regretted complaining to them about how stressed he was recently. Their insistence that he should _“Relax, Heere,”_ made him feel like he was being mothered.

On the other hand… Having a night out didn't sound _all_ that bad.

\---

What you have to understand about Chloe Valentine is that she’s the type of person who's not too judgmental about music preference. But being shoved into a room of sweaty people while mediocre live music was playing way too loud? You might as well have asked her to give up bomber jackets.

So forgive Jeremy for ending up very confused and most definitely overdressed at a small concert at some half-decent hall.

“What are we doing here?”

“Spending a night out, obviously,” Brooke answered, completely straight faced.

“Right,” he dragged out, “And this is somehow supposed to calm me down?”

Chloe ignored his words and pulled both him and Brooke deeper into the crowd and closer to a large platform which he assumed was the stage.

The stage lights were down but he could make out a few people setting up. When he saw a guy sit behind the drums, stuffing ear plugs in, he _knew_ something was up.

“Alright, what are doing here, _really_? This kind of thing isn't even your _scene._ I mean, there’s  _drums,_ Valentine,” Jeremy pressed.

A sinister smile made its way to Chloe’s face. “Maybe not our kind of scene but it's definitely _yours_ , Heere.”

The house lights went down, erupting a cheer from the crowd. All of them winced at the unexpected shouting. Pressing his fingers to his ear, Jeremy raised an eyebrow at the girls.

Over the speakers he heard the garbled voice of the MC. He didn't think he would've been able to make out her words if he tried.

“Who's playing anyway?” Jeremy asked.

“Oh, let's just say that you'll know them when you see them,” Brooke said smugly.

The stage slowly lit up with soft coloured spotlights. Another cheer erupted as Jeremy tried to make out the person currently fiddling with the microphone at the centre of the stage, a guitar hanging over his shoulder. He assumed the man to be the lead singer, while the bass player and drummer both warmed up their joints for the night.

The lead singer leaned forward, gripping the microphone stand. “Wow, this is a big crowd innit, Perce?”

His voice made the overdressed man freeze.

“Sure is, Mikey,” the bass player answered through his own microphone, still adjusting his grip on his instrument.

_Mikey? Since when-_

Jeremy felt like a deer in the headlights when his best- _ex_ -best friend found him in the crowd. Michael’s gaze was piercing, and no one else seemed to notice his staring. He didn’t even falter in his opening talk to warm up the crowd.

“Guess we'll have to give ‘em our best show yet, right boys?” Michael looked over his shoulders for effect. He walked over to the bass player - _Perce?_ \- to whisper something in his ear, doing the same for the drummer.

After a nod of confirmation from both of them, Michael made his way back to the front and centre of the stage. He was smiling brightly up until the lights dimmed again, instead putting on a serious face.

And then he started singing.

Jeremy never even knew he could sing.

 _Michael_ _Mell_ _could sing._ _Really fucking well._

His voice was much lower and rougher than Jeremy expected and he managed to keep it that way for the whole song. At some point, the bass singer had joined in for the second verse but Jeremy was more focused on the lead.

Apparently the lead singer was also more focused on Jeremy than the rest of the crowd too. Michael kept eye contact with him throughout the whole song, as if he was singing directly at him. Which made more sense than Jeremy was willing to admit.

_Somebody That I Used To Know… Brooke, you sly little-_

He looked to the side for a moment, only to find that the two girls had abandoned him. _Traitors._

When he looked back to the stage, Michael was still staring at him. Jeremy was sure that the lead was about to cry from singing the way he did.

Finally, the song ended and Jeremy remained in his trance. Their gazes lingered on each other for a moment until Michael broke it and looked around. Another smile stretched across his face at the cheers from the crowd.

Jeremy trudged through the mass of sweaty people, on a journey to find his friends, strangle them, and go eat at some late night diner with them. In that order.

He looked back at the stage, a part of him wondering if Michael still had his eye on him. The lead was speaking to the crowd again, his gaze scanning the whole area and not focused on Jeremy at all. He was angry at himself for feeling disappointed about that.

\---

He finally found the two traitors at the promised shitty open bar. Brooke was sipping at a colourful drink when her eyes widened and turned to face him.

“Jeremy! How was the show? Was it-,” she cut herself off.

His brows were scrunched together and his eyes narrowed into slits. “I hate you. Both of you.”

Chloe took that as a cue to lazily spin around in her bar stool to face him. “Yes, yes, we'll never be forgiven or whatever- Did you _see_ him?”

“I don't know who you're talking about,” Jeremy gritted out.

Brooke went back to sipping at her drink, only half-facing him.

Her companion, however, was not going to be stopped easily. “Jeremy, you've _got_ to be kidding. It's been _years_ -”

“Exactly why I _don't_ want to see him.”

“- since whatever happened between you two. Can't you guys talk it out?”

“ _Why-_ ”

“Because you're tearing our group apart, Jeremy!” Brooke snapped.

His face went from pissed to shocked to confused. “I'm sorry, what-”

“You heard me! You and your stupid- _I don't even know what_ \- forced _all_ of us to choose sides.”

Jeremy tried interrupting again, but stopped himself short when Chloe gave him a warning glare.

“You don't even know that you did it, do you?” Brooke snorted. “You don't even _know_ that Chloe and I have to meet Rich in _private_ to even _talk_ to him without _you_ going off on a spiel about how he's still friends with Michael!

“Same goes for Christine! The girl you dated? You know how she just- _poof_ -” She opened her hands to mimic a small explosion. “-after you two broke up? Guess what! She still talks to _us._ But she didn't want to tell _you_ that she's in contact with _your_ best friend because of how you'd react.”

At that, Jeremy cut in. “We are _not_ best friends.”

Brooke cackled. “ _That's_ what you took out of that _whole_ rant? That you're not _‘best friends_? Jesus Christ, Jeremy, how self-centered can you _be_?” Her voice wasn't angry anymore; it was sad.

Chloe stepped in. “You and your grudge is keeping us from hanging out with our _friends_ without you blowing your head off. Did you think that we all just decided to cut them off because of a stupid falling out you had?”

He had a couple false starts with his reply, but eventually he said, “And what about Michael? Do you guys berate him too? About how he should try talking to me?”

Both of them looked at him as if he'd sprouted a second head.

“Are you- are you joking? Are you _actually_ joking?” Chloe asked.

Brooke sputtered. “He- Michael- Fucking hell, Jere, he _tried_ talking to you. Over and over. Time and time again, he's _tried._  But you- _you_ -”

“You fucking _changed_ your _phone number_ to avoid him, Heere.”

Jeremy jerked back at the new, yet familiar voice. Brooke bit her lip while Chloe rolled her eyes, both of them looking to a figure a few seats away.

“Rich, go easy on him.” Jeremy couldn't tell who said it, because he was focused on the other person he hadn't seen in _years_ , besides-

“No, Lohst, I'm not gonna be soft with him. If _you_ can have a tantrum, then so can I.”

Rich was still facing the bar, his face away from Jeremy's view.

_Shit, he was here the whole time?_

“What are you doing here?” Jeremy asked, cringing the moment the words left his mouth.

The shorter man stood up suddenly, causing the bar stool to screech horribly. Rich settled himself beside Chloe, leaning against the bar. “I don't know, Jeremy, what could I _possibly_ be doing here?” He tapped a finger against his chin.

When Jeremy looked to the two girls for help, he was only met with hard glares.

“Oh, yes! I'm on one of those _‘private hangouts’_ with my friends,” he said with false enthusiasm while gesturing to the girls, “And how could I forget? I'm here to support _my friend_ at his fucking show.”

“Rich-”

“No Brooke, shut up. I've had to hold myself back from saying this shit around Michael because for _some goddamn reason_ he still thinks you're a redeemable human being and _not_ a piece of _shit_.”

Chloe tried too. “Fucking cool it, Goran-”

Rich strode up to Jeremy, holding him by his shirt so hard that the buttons might have flown off. It felt oddly familiar in a gut wrenching way.

“I don't know what he sees in you. You're a fucking asshole, you know that, Jeremy? What you did to us- What you did to _him_ was a dick move. A real fucking dick move. _Especially_ after- after he _fucking_ -”

“ _Alright,_ that is _enough._ ”

Jeremy was pulled backward and away from Rich. He wanted to thank his saviour but froze for the third time that night.

“Christine.”

She gave a half smile but her brows were tilted downwards. “Hi Jere, long time no see.”

She looked different. Her hair was longer, she was wearing a simple-

Jeremy shook his head. _No. Not your girlfriend anymore. You shouldn't-_

“Rich, you can't just harass people in the middle of a concert,” she chided.

“ _How_ can you _forgive him_ , Chris?!? He fucking tore apart-”

“I _never_ said that I forgave him-”

“Then _why_ the hell are you-”

“For fucks sake! Can someone just drag him to Michael, already? Christ, if I hadn't chopped off my hair, it'd be falling out because of your arguing,” Chloe interrupted, ever the mediator. Brooke patted her shoulder awkwardly.

Jeremy finally spoke. “Wait, what?”

Christine took his wrist. “C’mon big guy, it's time to face the music.” She led him away from the group.

He looked back to be met with a furious Rich, a tired Chloe, and Brooke, who was mouthing something to him that he couldn't make out.

“That- that's a lyric, right? From that song that you really like- um, liked?” Jeremy asked tentatively, once he lost sight of the group.

She laughed softly, still pulling him along. “Yeah but… It's also a saying. Y’know, it means like… Facing your fears or, um, your problems head on.”

He looked at the back of her head, biting his lip before he could say something stupid. Not that it helped in the slightest. “Christine, I'm so sorry. I didn't-”

“Not your fault. Never was. Not in our relationship at least. We just… weren't right, Jere. I think you… You had a lot on your plate. I felt like I needed to give you space.”

“Oh.”

She squeezed his wrist, still looking ahead.

\---

They didn't talk much after that. He was led backstage, almost crashing into people as they rushed back and forth, too busy shouting into their headsets to notice the pair.

Christine walked up to an unmarked door, knocking hard. “It's Christine.”

“Yeah, come on in,” a voice called behind the door. She pushed the door open.

Forcing one foot in front of the other, Jeremy walked into the room. Before he could get his bearings, Christine left him in the room and closed the door.

He would have accused her of being a traitor if he weren't so distracted by the soft humming of his ex-best friend. He had his back turned to Jeremy, who was openly staring at him.

_His hair… It's shorter. A lot shorter._

_Still wearing his hoodies though._

_Wait, shit, are those piercings?_

Michael did a double take when he caught Jeremy staring wide-eyed at him. Expecting a cold glare, Jeremy held his breath. Instead, a smile broke across Michael's face.

“Jeremy!” Michael gave him a look over, and Jeremy felt his face heat up. “Shit, man, you look like you've been brawling.” He chuckled.

Looking down at himself, he noticed that his top buttons were undone and his shirt was untucked. He smoothed down his shirt as best he could, keeping his eyes away from the taller man who leaned back against the dressing table.

“So, did you enjoy the show?” Michael asked, still smiling, “I heard the band that’s on stage is pretty good too. You should try to watch ‘em while you still can.”

Before he could stop himself, Jeremy blurted out, “I don't know how much someone can enjoy a show when the lead sings a passive aggressive song at them.”

His ex-friend chuckled again, not the slightest bit offended. “C’mon man, you've gotta let me have _one_ song to- _let out all the rage_.” He deepened his voice and made claw motions with his hands. Then he laughed it off.

That was another thing- Michael's voice was deeper. His eye bags weren't as severe anymore, either; definitely lighter compared to those last few years that they hung out together.

“Jere? You look a bit- _grrr_ ,” he joked, “Why don't you just chill- _I mean_ \- calm down a bit?”

 _That_ made Jeremy's eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.

_He remembers. After all that time… He still fucking remembers._

“Sorry, dude, I just- I don't know, I got kinda used to saying… _that_ around Darren - he's our drummer - and I almost… Jeremy? You okay?”

_No. I mean-_

_Stop acting like nothing happened._

“So did you plan this whole thing?” He crossed his arms over his chest, standing a bit straighter.

 _Finally,_ Michael's smile fell. “What?”

“Y’know, _this_. Meeting up. _Singing_ to me.”

“I’m _sorry_?”

Jeremy threw his hands up. “Stop playing dumb! Everyone's been nagging me to _“just talk to you”_ and you can't _honestly_ think that I believe that you weren't involved with this.”

The singer's eyebrows knitted together, his lips thinning. “You- You didn't come to see me?”

“Uh, _no_? Brooke and Chloe dragged me here-”

“Get out.”

He flinched at his voice. “What?”

“Get out, Jere. If you didn't want to be here, just leave.” He turned away from Jeremy.

“ _I don’t think so._ The girls are gonna hound me if we don't talk about this and Rich is probably gonna snap my dick off if-”

Michael laughed low and cynical. ““ _If_ we _don't talk about this?_ ” Jeremy- Look, just- If you didn't come here of your own will, then… Just leave.”

Jeremy stood silently for a while before doing just that.

\---

He ended up spending a few minutes in the somewhat clean bathroom to regain himself.

Eventually, Jeremy left in search of Brooke and Chloe. He dreaded telling them about how their plan failed; they'd probably ban him from diner Wednesdays for at least a few months. Making his way outside of the hall, he pulled out his phone. His finger was hovering over Chloe's number when he heard voices.

Creeping towards the sound, he pressed up against the wall to eavesdrop.

“You told him to _leave_?”

“I told you guys not to step in.”

“He was _right there,_ Michael! You could've sorted things out, you could've-”

“I _could have_ but I _didn't._ I'm not gonna force him to talk to me if he's not… If he's not doing it willingly.”

“Are you seriously-”

“Back off, Valentine, if Michael says to stop stepping in, then- _Stop. Stepping. In._ ”

“You need to stop too, Rich.”

“ _What_?”

“Don't threaten him. It's not gonna solve anything.”

“ _Oh my f_ \- You still have feelings for him, don't you?”

“Don't even _go_ there, Rich.”

“Shut up, Chris. _Michael,_ dude, Jeremy is a _fucking asshole_. He fucking tore your heart to shreds. _How_ can you still have _feelings_ for him?”

Silence. Jeremy leaned closer to the edge of the wall.

A low chuckle.

“I… I don't know. I don't know, Rich. I'm sorry. I just… _do._ ”

Jeremy stumbled and fell over, making an audible crash. All five of them turned to him.

“Would you look at that: The little shit was listening in,” Rich spoke as if Jeremy was less than the dirt on the sole of his shoe.

“Alright, _enough,_ ” Michael said.

He walked over to Jeremy and held out a hand. When he didn't grab onto the hand immediately, Michael shook it as if Jeremy didn't see it the first time.

Hesitantly, he took it and Michael hoisted him up. “Thanks.” His voice was barely above a whisper.

“No problem, buddy. I'm sorry for all the trouble. I promise you won't see me again.” He patted Jeremy's shoulder and started to walk away from him and the group.

“ _Wait_.” His voice was rough. Michael turned to him with a shocked expression, glancing at Jeremy's hand that was gripped around his wrist.

Jeremy looked over his shoulder to see the group staring at both of them.

“Can we talk? In private? _Please_?”

The taller of the two looked at him with wide eyes. “You- You're serious?”

“ _Yes._ ”

\---

Michael brought him to his room backstage again.

He took a stool from the corner of the room and placed it closer to the dressing table. Jeremy quickly sat on the stool. He returned Michael's raised brow with a small shrug. _What can you do?_

He rolled his eyes and sat on the comfortable chair. “So…,” Michael started lamely.

Jeremy took a deep breath. “I'm sorry, Michael. I'm _so sorry._ I mean, we- after everything with the- and the- I can’t-”

“ _Breathe, Jere._ ”

“I'm sorry that after _everything_ we've been through, that- That it was my fault we… We stopped being friends. God, I'm _so sorry, Michael._ ”

“Jeremy-”

“I- I- I just _completely_ \- I fucked things up _so much_ \- And I-”

“ _Jeremy_!”

He felt Michael's hands on his arms, they were almost nose to nose.

“It-” he sighed, “ _Yes._ You fucked up. Big time. But don't- Dude- I just want _my friend back._ ”

“But I-”

“Ah-bup-bup. Shh.” Michael leaned back slightly and pressed a finger to Jeremy's lips. “Can we just… be friends? I didn't- I never expected you to…”

“To cut you off like that?”

“ _No._ I meant… I didn’t - and I still don't - expect you to act different. My _‘feelings’_ don't have to change anything between us. Okay?”

“ _Michael._ ” Jeremy pushed away his finger. “We can't- Not again. That's what… Caused this mess in the first place. We _have_ to talk about them. About _us._ We have to clear things up.”

A long stretch of silence fell over them.

“Alright,” Michael finally answered.

“Good.” He coughed. “So… Rich is pretty protective of you…”

“I thought we were talking about _‘us’._ What does Rich have to do with this?”

Jeremy shifted in his seat. “I mean… Did you two ever…?”

“Oh. No, never- That- That is just… weird to think about.”

“So why is he so...” Jeremy gestured with his hands.

Michael looked away and scratched the back of his ear. “He- um, he's just… been in a similar situation, is what he said.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

More silence.

“We're pretty bad at this whole ‘talking’ thing, aren't we?”

“Yeah,” Jeremy admitted.

The two started laughing at their own incompetence.

“Okay, how about we just… Figure things out along the way? And _actually_ talk when we need to?” Jeremy offered.

Michael smiled. “Sounds good.”

Before he could second guess himself, Jeremy wrapped his arms around his friend. “I'm sorry,” he whispered.

“I know. I'm sorry too.” Michael returned the hug.

“I'm an idiot.”

“Can't argue with that.”

Jeremy laughed, and only then did he realise that he was crying too. “I'm getting snot all over your hoodie.”

“Eww, its yours forever now, ya nasty,” Michael teased, not letting go of the embrace.

“We're gonna be okay?” Jeremy asked.

Michael hugged him tighter. “Yeah.”

END

.

.

.

BONUS?

 

Rich lay on the old sofa, positioning himself in a way that the springs wouldn't stab him. His legs were placed comfortably in Christine's lap.

“Hey Chris?”

She hummed, scrolling mindlessly through her phone.

“Do you think we should get Jere and Mikey back together?”

Christine looked up and narrowed her eyes slightly. “I thought you hated Jeremy.”

“Yeah, but… I kinda…”

She locked her phone and placed it on the table in front of them, her attention fully on the short man. “You what, Rich?”

“Jake called.”

“... _ ****_ ****Well shit."

“And like… I kinda see why Michael's still pining. Even after everything.”

“So you've forgiven Ja- Jeremy?”

“No, not even the slightest- I'm talking about both of those J-assholes, by the way. But Michael… He still thinks that they can work it out- and maybe they can, knowing those two idiots. I don't know, maybe we could… _force_ them to talk about things.”

“... I'm slightly concerned as to where this is going.”

Rich sat up straight to face Christine properly. “Alright, so how about you convince Brooke and Chloe…”

**Author's Note:**

> this was supposed to be 1k, i swear. also, i have an idea for their whole falling out in the first place, so if anyone wants to read that, please do tell me and ill go right back to self-indulgent writing
> 
>  
> 
> Edit 1/11/18 - im a fuckin idiot because originally, this had a small mention that michael and rich were a thing at some point
> 
> Then i edited it out because eh, was there really a possibility?
> 
> And then today goya posted a bew animatic and lo and behold rich and michael are a thing
> 
> Anyway, im an idiot and idk if i should edit that scene in again.


End file.
